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Vyatka Agroconcern, Russian biotech company, has developed a technology that reduces the rate of food spoilage by reducing the proliferation of mycotoxins on the food surface. The technology called Milekons creates an antimicrobial nanofilm on foods that can be used to protect surfaces such as vegetables, fruits, grains, chilled fish, meat, or semi-finished products, thus protecting against the formation of pathogenic microflora. Unlike commonly used preservatives, Milekons technology does not contain chemically active substances that adversely affect the immunity and genes of humans and animals, but is composed of an ammonium compound widely used for the purification of water, modified sucrose, sodium chloride and ethanol. Thanks to nanofilm, the shelf life of protected foodstuffs will be prolonged, thus reducing the amount of food waste, which in part results from the rapid deterioration of some foods.
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Polish start-up NapiFeryn Biotech has developed a technology that isolates and purifies rapeseed protein for further use in the food industry. ‘Raptein’ rapeseed protein could partially replace soy, which now accounts for 95% of all plant proteins. Rape contains higher levels of certain amino acids compared to soy, but lacks phytoestrogens or isoflavones, which are suspected of disturbing the hormonal system in women. ‘Raptein’ could be used in a wide range of food products due to its emulsifying, gelling and foaming properties, and it also absorbs water and fat. Moreover, ‘Raptein’ production does not require the use of the chemical solvent hexane, which is used in the extraction of edible oils from seeds, even in the case of soy. NapiFeryn is now in the preparation and testing phase, deliveries in adequate quantities for the food industry should be available before 2022.
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The growing demand for plant alternatives to meat products attracts more attention to the crop sector and raises new questions related to the definition of nutritional profiles or the sustainability of raw material resources. The market for meat alternatives will reach € 6.6 billion worldwide by 2025, with an annual growth forecast of 7.7% according to Allied Market Research. Livestock farming faces a wave of criticism associated with high carbon emissions, but it is also criticized for deforestation in the Amazon, driven by rising demand, among other things, for plant products.
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Impossible Foods Company from the United States, one of the leading producers of vegetarian and vegan meat substitutes on the local market, is now working to ensure access to its products and to the European market. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the company has already submitted an application to market soybean leghaemoglobin, a molecule made from genetically modified yeast. Soybean leghaemoglobin is a substance that ensures real meat taste in foods of plant origin. However, the process of component approval can be lengthy, as the regulation of GM products is much stricter in the EU than in the US.

Commissioner for Public Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis called on 23/10/2019 to step up activities against antimicrobial resistance. The European Commission has adopted an action plan "One health" against antimicrobial resistance; the action plan should be implemented by 2022. According to Andriukaitis, the Commission now needs to prepare around 25 implementing and delegated acts to ensure effective implementation of the action plan, Member States will to ensure the correct and effective implementation of the new rules. The European Commission will prepare three databases for the implementation of the rules, focusing on veterinary medical products, pharmacovigilance (pharmaceutical safety) and processing and distribution.
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